The spirit of 100 elementary school students from the Madison area penetrated the overcast autumn chill at James Madison Park last Friday at the Wisconsin Alumni Student Board-sponsored Children’s Extravaganza.

The event, in its sixth year, provided area children with an afternoon of activities ranging from face painting to sounding the sirens of a Madison police car.

This year’s event found children from the Salvation Army, the local YMCA, the Boys and Girls Club and Kennedy Heights playing basketball, jumping in an air castle and coloring with University of Wisconsin-Madison students.

The children also played practical jokes with Bucky Badger.

“It’s a lot of fun; I think I want to be a Badger now,” Niall-Julian, a student with the YMCA, said between basketball games.

An estimated 75 volunteers helped run the day’s events.

“It’s just as much fun for us as it is for them,” said Steve McGarver, a member of WASB. “We’re actually just providing an opportunity for college kids to interact with younger kids. It isn’t too often that we see someone other than our own age.”

UW students were among those helping to run the event. Chaperones were present from all four of the organizations attending the Children’s Extravaganza.

Operating under the mission statement “Linking students past, present and future,” WASB plans events to involve all ages.

Having worked with elementary-aged children at the Children’s Extravaganza, WASB has plans to provide at-risk high school students from cities such as Madison, Milwaukee and Minneapolis with a chance to explore the benefits of higher education through a “Prospective Scholars Day.”

The group also sponsors High School Leadership Day, where high school leaders from various schools can listen to guest speakers and attend conferences while being treated to a catered lunch.